LADY VOLS WIN BIG OVER RAZORBACKS, 81-55

LADY VOLS WIN BIG OVER RAZORBACKS, 81-55

Posted on February 13, 2024

Courtesy / UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A 53-percent shooting percentage from behind the arc and a 21-point effort by Rickea Jackson lifted the Lady Vols to their seventh straight home triumph in a dominant 81-55 victory over Arkansas in Food City Center on Thursday night.  
 
The 55 points represented the fewest scored this season by Arkansas, which entered averaging 73.1 per contest. It also tied as the fewest allowed by Tennessee in 2023-24, matching the total Liberty scored in a 90-55 loss to UT on Dec. 31.
 
Junior Jillian Hollingshead recorded her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and senior Jewel Spear was close behind for Tennessee (15-8, 8-3 SEC) with 13 points, eight rebounds, and a career-high seven assists on the night. Their efforts helped move Kellie Harper‘s squad back into a tie for second place in the SEC standings.
  
Taliah Scott was the high scorer for Arkansas (17-9, 5-6 SEC) with 23 points, and Maryam Dauda turned in 10.
 
Jackson sank a 10-footer 30 seconds into play, and Spear followed it up with a trey as the duo went on to combine for 12 points in putting the Lady Vols up 12-0 by the 7:10 mark. Scott drained a three for UA’s first points of the game 15 seconds later, but Tamari Key countered with a layup on the other end to maintain Tennessee’s double-digit advantage. A pair of layups by Jackson put UT ahead 18-5 with 4:35 left in the first and proved to be the first points of a 13-5 run that gave Tennessee its largest first-quarter lead of the season at 27-10. Jenna Lawrence knocked down a three for the final points of the quarter, sending the game into the second period with UT on top, 27-13.
 
Dauda cut the Arkansas deficit to 11 with a trey to open the second quarter, setting off an 8-2 Arkansas run that had the Razorbacks within eight with 4:42 to go in the half. Jasmine Powell hit a layup to end the drought, and an old-fashioned three-point play by Jackson stretched UT’s lead back to 13. Hollingshead added a jumper to make it 36-21, and Scott hit a three for Arkansas on the next play before the Lady Vols ended with four straight points to lead 40-24 at halftime.
 
Powell kicked off the second half with a baseline three, as UT outscored the Razorbacks 7-2 over the first two minutes to lead by 21. Makayla Daniels responded with a three for UA at the 7:10 mark, but an 8-2 Lady Vol run stretched the score to 55-31 by the midway point. Scott and Daniels combined for buckets on back-to-back plays to pull Arkansas within 20, but UT expanded its lead to 26 off treys from Spear and Karoline Striplin to take a 63-37 advantage into the fourth quarter.
 
Scott hit the first points of the fourth with a mid-range jumper, and the teams traded buckets through the media timeout, with Tennessee leading 70-44 with 4:38 left in the game. Daniels drained a three eight seconds later, and Scott followed it up with a jumper to cut the score to 70-47, but the Lady Vols outscored the Razorbacks 11-6 to close out the contest.
 
 UP NEXT: Tennessee has a tight turnaround before No. 1/1 South Carolina rolls into Knoxville on Thursday night. The Lady Vols and Gamecocks are slated to meet in a 7 p.m. match-up on ESPN.
 
RICKEA HANGS ANOTHER 20: Rickea Jackson finished with 21 points vs. the Razorbacks to tally 20 or more for the sixth time this season and for the 22nd time in her career. She ranks sixth all-time at UT and stands one game behind fifth-place Rennia Davis, who had 23 such efforts from 2017-21. Tennessee is 19-3 (.864) in all games and 12-2 (.857) in SEC contests when Jackson scores 20 or more.
 
NICE REBOUND BY JILL: Jillian Hollingshead had arguably her best performance of the season, finishing with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. It marked her first double-figure scoring effort since Nov. 19, which actually was her last double-double as well with 18 points and 10 boards vs. Troy. Hollingshead now has three double-double efforts for her career when factoring in last season’s 18/12 performance at Mississippi State. The effort vs. UA also marked her fourth game with 10 or more rebounds in 2023-24, including additional efforts vs. Florida A&M (12) and Wofford (10).
 
PULLING DOWN 50+: Tennessee recorded its sixth 50-rebound game of the 2023-24 campaign, pulling down 57 vs. Arkansas for its second most of the year. During the Harper era, UT has recorded 50 rebounds in a contest on 46 occasions in 150 total games, including six with 60+ boards. The Big Orange’s previous year-by-year totals of 50-rebound games during Harper’s tenure include 11 in 2019-20, 7 in 2020-21, 15 in 2021-22 and 7 in 2022-23. UT’s 2023-24 games with 50+ boards:  63 (TROY), 57 (ARK), 56 (MEM), 52 (LIB), 50 (WOF, FLA)
 
STARTING FAST: Tennessee raced to a 27-13 score after the game’s opening quarter, beating Arkansas 12-2 in the paint, 9-0 on fast breaks and 7-0 on second-chance points. The Lady Vols led by as many as 17 over the Razorbacks (27-10, :53), marking UT’s biggest first-frame lead of the season. UT hit 10 of 20 shots (50 pct.) from the floor and four of six (67 pct.) from beyond the arc, with Rickea Jackson tallying 10 points and Jewel Spear eight over the first 10 minutes for the contest.
 
DOMINATING IN THE PAINT: Tennessee used its size to dominate inside, out-performing Arkansas by a 34-16 points-in-the-paint advantage for the game. The Lady Vols burst out to a 22-4 scoring advantage in the lane in the first half, including 12-2 differentials in the first and second quarters. The Razorbacks’ 16 paint points represented the lowest total by any team all season long, with 20 by Middle Tennessee and Wofford ranking as the previous low.
 
SLOWING DOWN THE HOGS: The Lady Vols limited Arkansas to 55 points and 31.9-percent shooting. The point total was UA’s lowest of the season, and the 55 allowed tied for UT’s fewest given up this year with Liberty also tallying that total. The field goal percentage was the second lowest UT has surrendered, ranking second to Liberty (31.0) in that stat as well. In the first half, Tennessee held the Razorbacks to 24 percent shooting and only 24 points. That halftime score tied for the fewest by an opponent this season, matching the 24 of Liberty on Dec. 31 and Georgia on Feb. 1.

Courtesy / UT Athletics
Claiborne County Officials are Asking for Help to Find a Missing Teen

Claiborne County Officials are Asking for Help to Find a Missing Teen

Posted on February 13, 2024

 The Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) is asking for help finding a missing teen.

The CCSO said 15-year-old Ava Kennedy Hash Stern was last seen in Tazewell on Saturday, Feb. 10.

Hash is described as bring a white female who is 5′8″ tall and 115 pounds with red hair and green eyes, police said, in addition to braces and a nose piercing.

Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is asked to contact the CCSO at 423-626-3000 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

Route for Deputy Greg McCowan’s Funeral Service if You’d Like to Safely Watch Procession

Route for Deputy Greg McCowan’s Funeral Service if You’d Like to Safely Watch Procession

Posted on February 13, 2024

On Wednesday, February 14, Blount County Sheriff’s Deputy Greg McCowan will be laid to rest. The funeral is scheduled for 1 pm at Sevier Heights Baptist Church, 3140 Maloney Road, Knoxville. Following the funeral, which we anticipate will end between 2:30 and 3 pm, there will be a funeral procession from Sevier Heights Baptist Church to Grandview Cemetery at 2304 Tuckaleechee Pike in Maryville. The procession will take Alcoa Highway southbound to Hall Road in Blount County, and then to Tuckaleechee Pike in Maryville and end at Grandview Cemetery. As you may expect, the funeral processional will be quite long. Please anticipate delays on Alcoa Highway and the remaining route to the cemetery. Please look at the map below to see the exact route.
If you choose to pay your respects to Deputy McCowan and his family by standing along the procession route, please choose a safe area away from traffic.
Sheriff James Lee Berrong would like to thank you for your patience, support, and condolences.

‘Armed and dangerous’ Man in Monroe County Taken into Custody, Sheriff Says

‘Armed and dangerous’ Man in Monroe County Taken into Custody, Sheriff Says

Posted on February 12, 2024

Monroe County, TN (WOKI) An “armed and dangerous” man wanted in Monroe County is now in custody.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says officers with the MCSO Patrol and Narcotics units located Matthew Hughes and took him into custody in the Maple Springs community early Monday morning.

MCSO had been searching for Hughes who they described as “armed and dangerous” since Thursday.

Hughes is facing charges of aggravated burglary, criminal conspiracy, evading arrest and theft over $1,000. Officials add he also has several out-of-state warrants.

MCSO says several thousand dollars of stolen property has been recovered, and the investigation has expanded to include several other possible co-conspirators.

“The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all of our local law enforcement agencies with their assistance on location and apprehension of this subject, and the citizens for their support and tips in this case,” said Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones.

Brother of Blount County Manhunt Suspect Enters Plea, Attorney to Seek Bond Reduction

Brother of Blount County Manhunt Suspect Enters Plea, Attorney to Seek Bond Reduction

Posted on February 12, 2024

Maryville, TN (WOKI) Marcus DeHart, appearing in court Monday afternoon, pleads “not guilty” to charges that he helped his brother, Kenneth DeHart, avoid capture following the fatal shooting of Blount County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Greg McCowan and the wounding of McCowan’s partner Deputy Shelby Eggers.

DeHart will still see the inside of a jail cell as his attorney and the state of Tennessee sparred over bail.

“As he sits today, he is innocent of all charges. The bond is a million dollars, and so we believe it’s excessive and punitive at this point,” argued DeHart’s attorney Scott Lanzon.

Though Lanzon made a strong appeal for lowering of his client’s bail, the state fired back Monday with a passionate argument of its own.

“Respectfully, your honor, not all B felonies are created equal. He is accused of providing assistance to an individual who murdered a Blount County Sheriff’s deputy and attempted to murder a second deputy. So, respectfully, I understand Mr. Lanzon’s position and I understand his motion, but the state is going to oppose that motion.”

A bond hearing for Marcus DeHart is set for Friday.

Carrie Matthews, Kenneth DeHart’s girlfriend, was also taken into custody late last week. According to a police warrant, Matthews is also charged with accessory after the fact for helping Kenneth DeHart avoid capture.

Matthews was arrested in Sevier County. On Friday, she was issued a $350,000 bond with GPD monitoring required. The judge also has to approve her release.

The manhunt for Kenneth DeHart, who should be considered armed and extremely dangerous, continues. Please call 9 1 1 if you see him or call 1 800 TBI FIND if you have any information that may lead to his arrest.

Update on Murder Investigation into Blount County Deputy Greg McCowan Including Funeral Arrangements for Fallen Officer

Update on Murder Investigation into Blount County Deputy Greg McCowan Including Funeral Arrangements for Fallen Officer

Posted on February 11, 2024

The hunt for Kenneth DeHart continues.

A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Blue Alert remains active for him, he is suspected in the shooting of two Blount County Deputies Thursday, Deputies Shelby Eggers and Deputy Greg McCowan who died as a result of his injuries. The shooting happened Thursday night following a traffic stop on Sevierville Road. The suspect, Kenneth Dehart, reportedly shot both deputies and Deputy Eggers was able to return fire. She was shot in the leg and is at home recovering from her injuries.

Sheriff James Berrong says the search for Dehart continues and they will find him. The Blount County Sheriff’s Office and over 150 agencies continue to search for DeHart.

Dehart is considered armed and dangerous. Please call 9 1 1 if you see him. Please call 1-800- TBI FIND if you have any information. There is a reward of $100,000 for information leading to his arrest.

The brother and girlfriend of Kenneth Dehart, the man accused of shooting two Blount County deputies killing Deputy Greg McCowan are in jail for helping him.

His brother, Marcus Dehart, is due in court Monday at 1:30 p.m. on accessory after the fact charges. He is being held on a one million dollar bond.

The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office arrested Kenneth DeHart’s girlfriend, Carrie Matthews, she is also charged with accessory after the fact in connection to the death of deputy Greg McCowan.

Funeral arrangements have been announced. The family of Deputy Greg McCowan will receive friends tomorrow from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Sevier Heights Baptist Church on Maloney Road in Knoxville.

Funeral service will full Police Honors will be held on Wednesday at 1:00 PM at Sevier Heights Baptist Church with the Interment to follow at Grandview Cemetery.

The community is welcome to sign the guest book today from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM at Smith Funeral & Cremation Service on Tuckaleechee Pike in Maryville.

Many are asking who is, Blount County Deputy Greg McCowan.

Sheriff James Berrong says Deputy McCowan was always smiling and friendly to everyone. He was awarded the Sheriff’s Office Lifesaving commendation in April 2021 for his part in saving the life of a man trapped in a burning vehicle. He was an EMR and was also recently accepted on the Sheriff’s Crisis Negotiations team and was excited to put his recent certification to use.

He graduated from the academy in October 2020. The Sheriff says McCowan was a hero both in life and in his death.

There are Several Ways to Donate to Help the Family of Fallen Blount County Deputy Greg McCowan

There are Several Ways to Donate to Help the Family of Fallen Blount County Deputy Greg McCowan

Posted on February 11, 2024

A memorial motorcycle ride will be held in honor of fallen Blount County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Greg McCowan. He was killed in the line of duty Thursday night during a traffic stop.

The ride will be February 25th at 1 p.m. with all participants meeting at 12:30 p.m Donations will be accepted and deposited into the account Blount County Sheriff Berrong is setting up for McCowan’s family. For more information on the memorial ride, please go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1050004316110664/

If you’d like to make a donation to help Deputy Greg McCowan’s family, please go to the Police Benevolent Foundation at https://pbfi.networkforgood.com/projects/218870-deputy-greg-mccowan-memorial-fund?fbclid=IwAR0RXMTc0BRKq-SmUz6RB-sAg-BYueUxNHE-ZBKEKeIUFB7sC13qOSNf40M

There are two T-shirt fundraisers to raise money for Blount County Deputy Greg McCowan’s family.

Blue Line Tennessee, Inc. will donate profits from their T-Shirt and Hoodie sale to McCowan’s family. They also have a window sticker available. For more information, please go to https://bluelinetennessee.com/blue-line-shop/ols/products/deputy-greg-mccowan-memorial-sticker?fbclid=IwAR315oDyekF-FQlq5Q4NRuH3loHfzfMLKYmcI_Xfvf-eMiD5JyVmMWAK3yE

There is another T-shirt fundraiser through Pokey’s & Sports in Maryville. They are a local company and profits from their sales will be donated to his family, please go to https://bcsosupporter2024.itemorder.com/shop/product/38350933/?fbclid=IwAR2NArGSYkD0h5G15luTtx0TIwlrTLnxQucgdEFE2yHjlBthRDHq6QxBnU8

Deputy Greg McCowan leaves behind his children Cayley and Cayden, his granddaughter Ella, his mother and father, his fianceé Leah, and numerous family and friends.

The Reward is Now $100,000 for Information Leading to the Arrest of Kenneth Dehart, the Suspect in the Shooting of Two Blount County Deputies, Deputy Greg McCowan Died

The Reward is Now $100,000 for Information Leading to the Arrest of Kenneth Dehart, the Suspect in the Shooting of Two Blount County Deputies, Deputy Greg McCowan Died

Posted on February 11, 2024

The Blount County Sheriff Office is increasing the reward to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest of Kenneth DeHart.

Dehart is suspected of shooting two Blount County deputies Thursday night following a traffic stop. Deputy Greg McCowan was killed, Deputy Shelby Eggers was shot in the leg and returned fire on the suspect. She is recovering at home.

If you have any information please contact us at 1-800-TBI-FIND or 865-981-7125.

Dehart should be considered armed and dangerous. If you see him call 9 1 1. There is still an active Blue Alert by TBI.

6 VOLS DROP ROAD DECISION AT TEXAS A&M

6 VOLS DROP ROAD DECISION AT TEXAS A&M

Posted on February 11, 2024

Courtesy / UT Athletics

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team fell, 85-69, Saturday night at Texas A&M.

Sixth-ranked Tennessee (17-6, 7-3 SEC) could not weather an early long-range shooting onslaught by the Aggies and climb back at Reed Arena. Fifth-year guard Dalton paced the Volunteers with 22 points in the setback, marking his eighth time posting 20-plus in the last nine contests.

Texas A&M (15-8, 6-4 SEC) made four of its first six 3-pointers, including a 3-of-3 clip from junior guard Wade Taylor IV, to claim a 16-8 advantage after 6:22 of action. After Tennessee got back within three, the Aggies went on a 12-1 run in 3:18 to push their margin to 14, 30-16, with 8:45 on the clock. At that time, they were 7-of-10 beyond the arc, with Taylor a perfect 5-of-5.

The Aggies, who hit eight of their first 12 3-point attempts through 12-and-a-half minutes, took a 42-28 edge into the break. They finished the frame 8-of-16 (50.0 percent) beyond the arc, while Tennessee went 3-of-13 (23.1 percent) at the other end with all three makes from Knecht.

Tennessee went scoreless for the first 4:32 of the second half, missing its first five shots, as Texas A&M extended its advantage to 20 points, 48-28, with 15:33 to go. The home team upped its margin as high as 22, 53-31, with 13:48 remaining.

The Volunteers would not go away and trimmed the deficit down to 12, 66-54, with 6:37 to play after posting six straight points in 73 seconds. They had a chance shortly thereafter to get within single digits, but a 3-pointer by junior guard Zakai Zeigler rimmed out and the visitors never got any closer.

Knecht’s 22 points came on a 6-of-11 ledger from 3-point range, good for the most makes from beyond the arc by a Volunteer this season and tied for his most as a collegian. He added a team-best seven rebounds, as well as two blocks, despite playing only 28 minutes due to foul trouble.

Zeigler finished with 15 points, a career-high-tying six rebounds, a team-best six assists and a game-leading four steals. The Long Island, N.Y., native played all 40 minutes, becoming the first Tennessee player to do so in 2023-24.

Graduate student guard Tyrece Radford led all scorers with 27 points for the Aggies, adding five rebounds and five assists. Taylor totaled 25 points and a game-high seven assists, finishing 5-of-11 from deep after connecting on each of his first five attempts.

Sophomore forward Solomon Washington notched 11 points, while senior forward Andersson Garcia scored six points and pulled down 17 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end, to pace all players.

The Volunteers had a 13-5 edge in points off turnovers and an 18-4 ledger in fast-break points. They also limited the Aggies to just three 3-point makes on their final 16 tries, but the hot start proved too much to overcome.

Tennessee now heads to Fayetteville, Ark., where it plays Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET against Arkansas, live on ESPN2 from Bud Walton Arena.

To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.  

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• The Volunteers are now 69-22 (.758) across 91 outings as an AP top-10 team in head coach Rick Barnes‘ nine-year tenure, all in the past seven seasons.
• Tennessee’s last defeat by double digits came on Feb. 18, 2023, a 66-54 result at Kentucky, while its last setback by 15-plus was on Jan. 15, 2022, a 107-79 decision at Kentucky.
• At least one Volunteer has scored 20-plus points in 13 of the past 15 games, with a total of 16 such performances in that stretch.
• At the 12:22 mark of the first half, Knecht converted Tennessee’s first four-point play in over a year, as the last came on Feb. 4, 2023, by Santiago Vescovi against Auburn.
• Garcia became the first SEC player with 15-plus rebounds against Tennessee since Arkansas’ Jaylin Williams had 16 on Feb. 19, 2022, while his 17 boards marked the most by a Volunteer foe in league play since LSU’s Tasmin Mitchell grabbed that many on Feb. 4, 2010.
• The last player with nine offensive rebounds versus Tennessee was Georgia Tech’s Ben Lammers on Dec. 3, 2016.
• The Volunteers’ 14-point halftime deficit marked their second-largest of the season, trailing only a 22-point margin, 61-39, at North Carolina on Nov. 29, 2023.
• Fifth-year guard Josiah-Jordan James recorded a season-high three blocks, surpassing his prior best of two, set on Nov. 29, 2023, at North Carolina.
• Knecht is the seventh SEC player in the last 13 seasons (2011-24) to score 16-plus points in nine straight league games, joining LSU’s Cameron Thomas (2020-21), Kentucky’s Immanuel Quickley (2019-20), Georgia’s J.J. Frazier (2016-17), South Carolina’s Sindarius Thornwell (2016-17), Kentucky’s Jamal Murray (2015-16) and LSU’s Ben Simmons (2015-16).
• The last Volunteer to score 20-plus points eight times in a nine-game span was Kevin Punter Jr., who did so 10 times in an 11-contest stretch from Nov. 22, 2015-Jan. 6, 2016.
• The only other time Knecht has made six 3-pointers as a collegian was on Jan. 14, 2023, when he went 6-of-13 at Portland State during his tenure at Northern Colorado.
• Zeigler became the first Volunteer to play all 40 minutes of a contest since he did so himself on Jan. 24, 2023, at Mississippi State.

Courtesy / UT Athletics

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